Tuesday 16 December 2025

Major partnership between cutting-edge biotech firm Bicycle Therapeutics and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) plans to deliver tens of thousands of cancer therapy doses annually -using UKNNL’s groundbreaking process for extracting key isotope. 

UKNNL expertise at the heart of a breakthrough 

Bicycle will apply UKNNL’s innovative extraction methods to obtain lead-212 – a valuable radionuclide – from reprocessed uranium materials. 

As we highlighted in our recent announcement of a project to create a sustainable UK supply of nuclear medicine for cancer treatments: This sophisticated chemical separation process isolates exceptionally small quantities of lead-212’s parent material from spent nuclear fuel. To put the scale in perspective, the initial parent material extracted is comparable to finding a single drop of water in an Olympic swimming pool. From this already minuscule amount, an even smaller fraction of lead-212 is then separated for medical applications. These trace quantities can then be developed into radiopharmaceuticals – targeted treatments designed to combat some of the most challenging cancer types. 

Under the 15-year agreement, Bicycle will have access to up to 400 tonnes of reprocessed uranium. The unique regenerative properties of this material mean it can serve as a continuous source of lead-212, yielding enough for tens of thousands of precision therapy doses annually. 

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: 

“Cancer is a disease that affects millions worldwide, and tears too many families apart. Breakthroughs in medical science are giving more cancer patients and their loved ones hope, and this unique partnership could help take that work even further. 

“Turning nuclear material into cutting-edge cancer treatments sounds like science fiction – but thanks to the brilliance of scientists, researchers and doctors, it could be a life-saving reality. Work like this shows exactly why we’re determined to support our life sciences innovators to make groundbreaking new treatments possible.” 

Julianne Antrobus, Chief Executive Officer at UKNNL, said: 

“UKNNL’s purpose is nuclear science to benefit society, and this partnership is a perfect example of this in action. We’re proud to be part of the nuclear and life sciences sectors coming together, forging innovative collaborations that tackle some of healthcare’s most pressing challenges in transformative ways. It’s incredible to see UKNNL’s expertise at the forefront of the global fight against cancer. Decades of research by our dedicated teams has made unique partnerships like this possible, and I look forward to seeing our work with Bicycle and the NDA progress.” 

Advancing precision cancer medicine 

Radiopharmaceuticals represent a targeted approach to cancer treatment, carrying therapeutic radiation directly to malignant cells. This precision helps destroy tumours whilst potentially reducing  damage to surrounding healthy tissue that can occur with conventional therapies. This approach shows promise for cancers that have proven difficult to treat through traditional methods, including certain prostate cancers and neuroendocrine tumours affecting organs such as the gut and pancreas. 

Bicycle will utilise a novel radioisotope generator system to extract lead-212, developed specifically for their applications by Spectron RX, specialists in medical isotope technology.